Gigi brings her "Farscape" costar Rygel to the workshop to offer inspiration when the creature designers are given the task to build original alien species attending an intergalactic press conference. Director Barry Sonnenfeld is the guest judge.

Diane Werts

We ultimately get to spend time with Henson's judges hashing it out. That brings insight into what makes things work, into creature logic, proportions, movement, performance facilitation, and letting the creation "emote through its environment." We don't just watch art being made, we come to understand the process.

Matt Roush

What Creature Shop may lack in originality it makes up for in creative energy, with the contestants further challenged in mentoring sessions by being made to focus on having the full-body costumes be fully functional for the skilled Henson puppeteers within.

Erik Adams

Creature Shop Challenge is about doing the most in the least amount of time, and while there’s some impressive work on display in the premiere, the impulse to keep watching comes from the sense that the best, most stunning creatures are yet to come.

Rob Owen

David Hinckley

Because the contestants are also paired into teams, we get the sometime fractious reality-show dynamics of forced alliances. Based on this show, however, there don’t seem to be many truly obnoxious people whose dream is to design cool monsters.

Ed Bark

Creature Shop Challenge is inviting enough to merit another look. Not for its pro forma adherence to the “reality competition” handbook but for whatever creative hoops await its very eager group of contestants.

Brian Lowry

In this digital age, it’s nice to see the Muppet-maker still hiring, but there’s simply nothing special enough about this Challenge to warrant another show the next time there’s an opening; better instead to go through plain old human-resource channels.